Germany v Poland: Muller out to settle the score

Germany's Thomas Muller has stoked the flames ahead of their latest meeting with Poland, with the world champions eyeing revenge.

Published

2 September 2015

Germany forward Thomas Muller is out to settle a score when the world champions face Poland in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier.

Joachim Low's men were dealt their only loss of the qualifying campaign by Poland last October as they went down 2-0 in Warsaw.

That result marked Germany's maiden defeat to Poland and their first in an away qualifier since 1998.

Victory for Germany this time around would see them leapfrog Poland and go top of Group D as they aim to take another step towards the finals in France next year.

And the memory of the reverse fixture is clearly still raw for Bayern Munich forward Muller, who is focused on gaining revenge in Frankfurt.

"We have a score to settle with Poland. We need to beat them and we want to be the group leader," Muller said.

Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski should once again lead the Poland attack in Frankfurt, but Muller knows Germany cannot afford to only account for his club-mate.

"The game against Poland is not just about Lewandowski," he added. "[We] have to stop the counterattack and defend the space well.

"Poland are top, we are second so at the moment it is an equal game. It's going to be tough work, we know that."

Adam Nawalka's Poland are yet to taste defeat in qualifying and have scored 20 goals while shipping just three.

However, dropped points against the Republic of Ireland and Scotland have allowed Germany to stay within a point of top spot.

Scotland, meanwhile, are just three points adrift, meaning automatic qualification is far from assured for Poland, who competed in the last two European Championship tournaments without progressing beyond the group stage.

Despite the 2014 result, Germany will be firm favourites to take all three points and assume top spot, yet Nawalka remains confident his team can complete a famous double.

He said: "Germany will be favourites, but we are not afraid of the challenge. We have more and more faith in our own abilities. We are prepared, the Germans will attack us aggressively, but we will answer the same."

Lewandowski echoed his coach's sentiments, intimating that Poland will approach the fixture without fear.

"It will be harder match than the first in Warsaw," Lewandowski said. "We are playing away, the German team certainly will want revenge after the first defeat. Going there, on the one hand, we must approach with respect, on the other hand, we must not be afraid.

"Everyone will want to get there points. We will focus on what we have to do, and not Germany."